NFC roundup

Culpepper propels Vikings over Saints

Published: Monday, December 16, 2002

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Daunte Culpepper fumbled the snap on a 2-point conversion with 5 seconds left, picked up the ball and still managed to lunge into the end zone, lifting the Minnesota Vikings to a 32-31 victory against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

The Vikings (4-10) snapped a 16-game losing streak on the road as Culpepper scored four touchdowns.

The Saints (9-5) could have clinched a playoff spot with a victory, but fell two games behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South.

Minnesota, which had lost six of 10 when leading or tied in the fourth quarter, was trailing 31-24 with 5:21 left.

Culpepper drove the Vikings 73 yards before hitting a double-teamed Randy Moss for a 13-yard touchdown to pull the Vikings to 31-30. Minnesota eschewed an extra point kick to force overtime, and Culpepper's conversion gave Minnesota its first road win since Thanksgiving Day 2000, when it beat Dallas.

Culpepper completed 26 of 36 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns. Culpepper was also the game's leading rusher with 73 yards and two touchdowns.

Moss caught 11 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Eagles 34, Redskins 21

PHILADELPHIA  A.J. Feeley threw for two touchdowns and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East with a win over self-destructing Washington, improving to 4-0 since their Donovan McNabb broke his right ankle Nov. 17.

Philadelphia (11-3) can clinch homefield advantage in the NFC by beating the Cowboys and Giants on the road in their final two games. That would be a huge advantage in crumbling Veterans Stadium, where winds swirl and crowds are among the loudest in the NFL, especially in the postseason.

But the ultimate goal  getting to the Super Bowl for the first time since the Dick Vermeil-led Eagles got there after the 1980 season  may not be so easy. They likely will need a healthy McNabb to do that.

Washington (5-9) was just as sloppy as it has been in most of Steve Spurrier's dismal first season as coach.

On the second play from scrimmage, Stephen Davis broke loose toward midfield but had the ball knocked away by Brian Dawkins, and Michael Lewis recovered for Philadelphia. Davis separated his right shoulder on the play and did not return.

Bears 20, Jets 13

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.  Veteran Chris Chandler gave Chicago's erratic offense some stability and the banged-up Bears allowed just a single touchdown to beat the New York Jets and severely damage their playoff chances.

The Jets (7-7) are still mathematically alive. But they simply didn't have the punch Sunday, three days after they got into three fights during practice, to overcome their mistakes.

New York had a last attempt to force overtime, but after catching Chad Pennington's pass and running 22 yards, Wayne Chrebet fumbled while trying to hurdle Chicago's Mike Green and Larry Whigham. Bears rookie Roosevelt Williams recovered at the 14 with 1:10 left.

Chicago (4-10), which led 10-0 at the half, got touchdown runs from rookie Adrian Peterson and ex-Jet Leon Johnson. Paul Edinger kicked two field goals, a 53-yarder and then a 48-yarder into the wind with 2:38 left.

And Chandler, making his sixth start with Jim Miller out for the season with a knee injury, completed 23 of 28 passes for 177 yards.

Buccaneers 23

Lions 20

DETROIT  Martin Gramatica's 38-yard field goal with 3:04 left, his third of the day, gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a win over the Detroit Lions.

Detroit's Jason Hanson was short on a 57-yard kick with 1:51 left.

Tampa Bay (11-3) clinched a playoff berth for the fourth straight season and tied franchise records for wins and road victories, with its fifth.

The Buccaneers have won five of six, and the Lions (3-11) have lost six straight.

Detroit was without rookie quarterback Joey Harrington after its first drive because he was taken to a hospital for tests and observation with an irregular heartbeat.

Seahawks 30

Falcons 24 (OT)

ATLANTA  After Atlanta's A.J. Feely missed a 36-yard field goal in overtime, Shaun Alexander ran 27 yards for a touchdown to give Seattle a victory.

Michael Vick, who did little right through 3 1/2 quarters, helped the Falcons tie the game with a 12-yard TD pass to Trevor Gaylor with 17 seconds left in regulation. He then drove his team to the 18 on the first drive of the extra period to set up Feely's try.

But the kick sailed wide right, and the Seahawks (5-9) quickly made Atlanta pay.

Matt Hasselbeck led them downfield, completing a 21-yard pass to Koren Robinson on third-and-6, and Alexander did the rest. On second down, he broke through the middle and easily outran the defense to hand the Falcons (8-5-1) their second straight loss.

It was the 22nd overtime game of the season, breaking the NFL record set in 1995. There has been at least one OT game in 12 of the 15 weeks this year.

Packers 20, 49ers 14

SAN FRANCISCO  Brett Favre passed for 201 yards in a steady downpour, and the Green Bay defense stopped one last rain-soaked drive at its own 11 with 22 seconds left as the Packers beat the San Francisco 49ers.

Ahman Green ran for 90 yards and a touchdown, and Donald Driver caught a TD pass as the Packers shrugged off the pelting rain and swirling wind of Candlestick Park to score 17 points in the second half while holding San Francisco scoreless in the fourth quarter.

The Packers (11-3) have seen much worse than a little rain  the icy cold and wind of their playoff victory over San Francisco last January, for example. Green Bay won its third straight while limiting the Niners' offense to 263 total yards and earning homefield advantage in any possible playoff meeting between the teams.

After Ryan Longwell's 28-yard field goal with 4:41 left, Jeff Garcia drove the 49ers from their 26 to the 11 before throwing three incompletions, including a low throw under pressure to Eric Johnson on fourth down.

Both teams already clinched their divisions and playoff berths with victories in recent weeks.